Lunch in Ayutthaya

I really want to give our lunch a proper review, and point you all to the place, because it is really worth the visit. However, what I can tell you about finding it is that our host drove and I could absolutely never find the place again, and the name of the restaurant is:

Yeah, I know, you’re welcome. I’m sure that narrows it right down for you.

Maybe the most helpful thing I can tell you, and also a really nice aspect of the restaurant, is that it is all open air (but then most restaurants in Thailand are) and right on the river. There was a ferry crossing right in front of the restaurant, but this was unique in that it seemed to be a motor-bike ferry crossing. We watched load after load of bike-barges cross during our meal.

And all other form of boats going up the river.

The meal was so authentically Thai, that the menu was all in Thai script. The whole menu was also all in photographs. We were basically handed a looseleaf binder with page after page of pictures of food labeled in Thai. You’d think the pictures were helpful, and to some extent, yes, they were. Sort of. I mean, of the four different soups shown here, which would you choose and why? We couldn’t identify much of what was depicted.

But with the leading of our hosts and some leading from the pictures, we were able to order. Some parts were served family style, like our soups. Other things we more individualized.

The soup shown here has a name that translates roughly to ‘spicy soup’ or ‘spicy prawn soup’. Which it was. Those are large prawns, and it was completely delicious. I had seconds.

We learned that in Thailand, if you like our Chinese take out at home, you can eat just fine. Cashew Chicken is an option everywhere, and it is exactly what the name says. Lightly fried & stir-fried chicken with cashews, in a tangy Asian sauce. There are also other standbys like pineapple rice, which is completely yummy, and fried rice is everywhere, too. But, I have to encourage you, try the odd other things on the menu, too. It’s just an adventure.

Except this. (Below) Don’t try this. I’ll just save you the time right now. Looks all appetizing, doesn’t it? Deceptive little sucker. And if you are to ask what this is, you will be told “chicken”. So… fried little pieces of chicken! That sounds great!

No! No it is not. Because this is Chicken Knuckles. Yep. knuckles. And that’s what they mean. Each of these pieces are fried chicken joints and cartilage. Mmmmm…. No meat on this, just the boney parts we usually throw away.

My husband, who has gone from Mr. Meat and Potatoes when we met and got married, to Mr. Texting Me Pictures of Silkworm Larvae and Octopus Balls (not being crude there, that’s what it’s called) when he is eating out for business travel, ordered Chicken Knuckles over our host’s frantic objections and warnings. Hubby wanted to see how bad it really was.

He spit the first bite back out on the plate, exclaiming “WHYwould anyone EATthat!?!!” Yes. It is that bad.

Aside from the Chicken Knuckles, as the scattered, sparse remains can attest, we ate well:

Have I mentioned that we have been running hard most of the time we’ve been here? There’s a whole country to see, and only so much time in our trip! But, this is how things are starting to look after meals:

They’re all thinking, “When am I ever going to feel rested again?!?!”

However, we find that ice cream is a great pick-me-up at moments like this.

Those motor bike ferry crossing happens in India too. Even small cars are transported. If not for those ferries, those bikers would have to travel several kilometres to the bridge or land connection! But yeah, for anyone who sees it for the first time, its very intriguing.
Too bad about the chicken knuckles!!! Being a veggie, I guess I’ll find it too difficult there!